The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-20
NEW AND OLD INTERPRETATIONS OF
THE SCRIPTURES.
BY Rev. F. TEMPLE LATHE.
Caledonia, o.

The basal fact regarding the Script
ures is that they are the word of God to
suffering, struggling race. Every
Scripture given by inspiration of God
is profitable for all that it teaches in
doctrine; for all the good that comes
from reproof; for correction admins
tered in love to those who are proud
and wayward; for instruction which is
in righteousness, that exalteth the soul
in the power and grace of God, and
makes man complete, furnished thor
oughly unto every good work.
The worth of the Scriptures is not in
the fact that they are old. 1t is not in
the fact that they have had wonder
full preservation. Older than the He
brew Scriptures older than the sacred
writings of any people of antiquity
back of all these are the infallible rules
of conscience; the conscious depend
ence of the soul upon God; the inward
longing for light and love; the capac-
ity for inspiration-which the gracious
and all-wise Father in infinite love re-
cognjzed, and still adheres to, because
we bear his image. The possession of
these things produced the Bible, and
are the sources of our estimation of its
worth. The Bible is the product Of the
combined activity of the Divine and
human minds. Man is spirit, and by
the inspiration of the Almighty he
receiveth understanding. Such was
the thought and teaching of the long
ago days of Job. The Divine method
of infusing knowledge was in operation
ages before Job wrote, or the author of
the Pentateuch penned, I'm the begin
ming God created the heavens and the
EARTH" and upon Sinai summed up in
the decalogue the law that in the be-
ginning was written in the minds of
men, constantly accusing or excus-
ing them. 1t is true there is an esti-
nation of the Book akin to the admira-
tion in which antique relics are held.
1t is so much of relic Of the past; it
is so sacred that the dust of years
lying upon its cover must not be disturb
ed. And far more dusty are the inter-
pretations adhered to by the professed
believers in the Scriptures; and if ever
the dust is disturbed it is seldom to find
the Bible itself, but the old rusty, and
befogged interpretations which too
often stand for the Scriptures. The
letter and the formul3 are observed and
worshiped, but the spirit and essence
of divine truth are forgotten. Hence,
when new interpretations are produced
they are regarded as the outcome of a
sacrilegious and subtle foe of the Bible.
1t is new and must be ignored or looked
upon with suspicion. The old, and ira
ditionally old, must be revered and
trusted. 1t matters not how much in
its dotage the dusty Interpretation may
be, or how far from the truth, or how
unchristian and unharmonious, it must
have the preference of mankind.
Now, a new Interpretation is sub
ject to the same structures and limita-
lions as the old. The idea is not advo-
Gated that we are to give warm well
come to every new Interpretation, SIM
ply because of its newness, or of re-
jecting the old because it has the smell
of antiquity about it. The new may
be false or fail to reach the end design
ed. The old may be right and true to
the principles underlying the laws of
the Interpretation of the Scriptures.
The point in regard to the new and
old methods is /: Is it true? Will it stand
the test 4? What is said is to those who
inveigh the new and sustain the old
without discriminating between the
positions maintained. For instance in
regard to the expression, 1.-THE end of
the world" The old Interpretation
looked toward a final winding up of
events terrestrial, and to day of horri-
BILE doom overtaking those who had